Student reportedly loses hand from police grenade amid France's education protests | CBC News

A teenager lost a hand during a confrontation between high-school protesters and riot police in Pas-de-Calais on Monday, the local prefect said. He gave no details about how the injury happened and said 200 to 250 people had thrown objects at police.

The incident came before a national student demonstration planned for Tuesday. The pupils’ union is protesting what it describes as inadequate funding, crowded schools and deteriorating buildings. Around 400 to 500 high schools were closed or partly shut, with demonstrations and blockades continuing.

Rights groups have accused police of using excessive force against young protesters. Authorities are also investigating a separate case involving a 16-year-old who reportedly suffered an eye injury after rubber bullets were fired into a crowd. The Interior Ministry had not responded to the allegation.

France’s Justice Ministry said 5,060 people had been arrested since the protests began; 87 per cent were minors. More than 1,800 people, including 1,483 minors, face prosecution, while 790 cases have been dropped.

The government says restoring order is its priority. It also plans to accelerate a bill, scheduled for Oct. 27, that would make young people found responsible for property damage—or their parents—pay for the harm. Security officials are concerned about Tuesday’s organized protest in Paris.